Neurotoxic side-effects of chemotherapy, including pain and numbness in hands and feet, frequently lead to dose reduction. This chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) often persists long into survivorship and negatively affects quality of life. There are no drugs available to prevent or treat CIPN, and underlying mechanisms are only partially understood. Only a few studies have studied chemotherapy-induced numbness because of lack of relevant animal models.
The high prevalence and incidence of CIPN along with the lack of effective treatments makes identification of therapeutics and understanding of mechanistic drivers of CIPN vital for improving quality of life in cancer patients and survivors. Accordingly, there remains a need to alleviate the symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy